It's Not Quite a Vibranium Shield
by Ophelia Claire
Summary: A series of one-shots surrounding the SSR gang, Daniel Sousa and Daniel Sousa's crutch. Maybe a tiny bit of Peggysous if you look.


**So this was meant to be a single one-shot publication but I like writing them so I'm gonna do more. See the AN at the bottom.**

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Daniel Sousa thought that he had a pretty good handle on using his crutch. He didn't enjoy it, but that didn't mean he hadn't adapted. He was an SSR agent, after all- he was good at that sort of thing.

He thought that he had come up against every possible situation that would make him think on his feet. He'd fought that lunatic Dottie (and handled himself damn well, thank you very much). He'd (regrettably) chased after Peggy. He'd even gone dancing without making a fool of himself.

New York winters were always harsh, but this one seemed particularly bad. It felt like you couldn't even step outside without your nose being ripped off by the bitterly cold wind that went straight through your five layers and hit you right in the heart.

The accident count had grown staggeringly high already due to the large ice patches that formed on the roads and the new common sight on the grueling walk to work or the subway was a crew cleaning up the shattered glass and metal of a previous crash.

Sousa saw such a crew one morning as he limped from the subway station to the phone company building. Peggy, heels tapping alongside him, followed his gaze to the scene.

"This bloody weather," she mumbled, her voice muffled by the thick blue scarf she wore. "I'd take Britain's rain any day." She tugged her scarf further up her nose, and the matching hat further down, covering everything but her eyes. Daniel smiled.

"You grow up here, you get used to it," he said. Peggy elbowed him in the side- his non-crutch side, thankfully. He chuckled, and then shut his eyes tightly as a particularly strong gust of wind whipped through the streets.

And that was his mistake.

He didn't notice the small patch of ice on the sidewalk. He didn't notice the worn tip of his crutch landing squarely on the small patch of ice.

The tip skidded out to the side, and Daniel Sousa found himself flying toward the pavement. He heard Peggy's frantic shout as he threw one arm out and tried to break his fall, but his elbow smashed into the ground, followed quickly by his head.

The world went dark.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Daniel?"

_Hrg...wha?_

"Daniel, can you hear me?"

_Peg? Wuzzgoinon..._

With what felt like a Herculean effort, Daniel forced his open, closing them immediately as his vision was filled with a bright, painful white.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Daniel!" There was the sound of hurried footsteps and the light seeping through his closed lids lessened. He half-opened his eyes once more to see the much more welcome sight of Peggy taking a seat next to him. Soft light, much nicer than the harsh artificial lighting. came through a window. His perspective was skewed, and there was something soft under him. It took him a minute to figure out he was lying down.

His head ached. He reached up to cradle it only to be stopped by a very painful protest from his elbow. He closed his eyes and groaned.

"Peg, what happened?"

"Your crutch slipped on an icy patch and you managed to simultaneously give yourself a concussion and a broken elbow." She smiled. "At least you're not cuffed down this time." Daniel laughed, then winced, as white-hot pain flashed through his head.

"Ow. Damn, that's painful." He shifted position as smoothly as he could, sitting up slightly. "How long've I been out?"

"Only a day. Thompson stopped by earlier. Said you were probably faking it to get leave."

Daniel rolled his eyes but smiled. "Typical."

Peggy bent down in her chair and reemerged holding his crutch. "Howard heard about your fall and decided to help you out."

"Oh, boy," said Daniel. "Not sure I want to use that anymore..."

"Don't worry. I told him that he'd better stick to the basics or he'd be quite sorry." She held the tip towards him and twisted the lower handle. Tiny spikes popped out of the end. "He said this setting is for winter."

"_That_ setting?" Daniel asked. Peggy twisted the handle once more, and the spikes grew longer. "In case you need to fight with it again." She twisted it once more and the spikes disappeared. "Are you doing all right?"

"Mm-hm. 'M a little tired, but I'm okay." Peggy reached over and pulled the blinds closed.

"Good. I'm glad. The doctors said you'd be back on your feet in a few days. Your elbow will take a little longer to heal- you might be stuck behind your desk for a while." Sousa laughed gently, in spite of the pain that came.

"Thanks, Peggy."

"I'll let you get some rest," she said, and slipped from the room. Daniel smiled at her retreating back and shifted back into a better sleeping position. The trace of a smile still lingering on his lips, he fell asleep once more.

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**Leave a review and let me know what you think! I'm also very open to suggestions! If there's something you'd like to see happen, I'm up for anything but smut. Not writin' that. Anything else, though- humor, angst, hurt/comfort, whatever!**


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